Homemade 'Real' Vanilla Ice Cream
A 'proper' ice cream using a custard base infused with vanilla seeds for that pure taste of true luxury
Equipment
- 1 Ice Cream Maker Optional (See recipe for a simple, manual alternative)
- 1 Resealable, freezer-safe container At least 1lt in size
- 1 Stick blender wt whisk Or hand whisk
Ingredients
- 4 yolks Egg
- 100 gram Sugar (Caster or superfine)
- 320 ml Milk (Full fat is best)
- 320 ml Double cream
- 1 Vanilla pod
Instructions
Prep
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place to the side in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate the whites to use later (See recipe notes for suggestions)
- Cut the vanilla pod in half, length ways, and use the back of a knife to scrape out the tiny vanilla seeds. Place both the seeds and the pod to one side on a plate. (See recipe notes for a way to use the empty vanilla pod)
- Weigh/ measure out the other ingredients
To Make
- Heat the milk over a medium high heat and remove from the heat just before it boils, add the vanilla seeds, stir well and allow to cool a little
- As the milk is cooling, place the sugar to the egg yolks into a clean bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined. The mixture will become paler and increase in size after a couple of minutes
- While still whisking, pour over the warm milk slowly until combined
- Return the mixture into the pan on a low medium heat and keep stirring for 2-4 minutes until the mixture thickens a little. To test the thickening, dip a spoon into the custard and run your finger down the back. If it leaves a clean line and holds its shape somewhat, it is done
- Remove from the heat and pour into a cool bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature or place it in an ice bath to cool quicker. (See recipe notes) Stir frequently during the cooling process
- Once cooled, if using an ice cream maker, follow the user guidelines for best results. Once churned, place in a resealable, freezer-safe container and store in the freezer
- If making this recipe manually, keep the cooled mixture in the ice bath and continue to whisk for 3-5 additional minutes depending on whether you're mixing manually or with an electric mix. Once this is done, scrape into your resealable, freezer-safe container. Place in the freezer for ½ hour. After ½ hour, remove and stir well using a spatula or spoon, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container and place back in the freezer. Repeat every ½ hour for the next 2 hours. After this, repeat the stirring every hour until the desired consistency and smoothness is reached. This repeated stirring discourages the formation of ice crystals and leaves you with a delicious smooth ice cream
To Serve
- Store in the freezer and take out 10-20 minutes before serving (depending on your ambient temperature) to allow the ice cream to soften a little. Serve as desired
Notes
- Here are 3 ideas for using up those versatile egg whites :
- Meringue: Whip egg whites with sugar to create light and fluffy meringue or whip longer for a pavlova base
- Soufflé: Use whipped egg whites as a base for a light and fluffy soufflé
- Egg White Omelette: Make a healthy and protein-rich omelette by using only the whites. Add vegetables, herbs, and cheese for added flavour
- While it's usually those precious little seeds we want for cooking, there are certainly uses for the empty vanilla pod. My particular favourite is to place them in a resealable container with plain sugar. The pods will last for a very long time and keep imparting their flavour and aroma to make a delicious vanilla sugar, perfect in a dessert or a cup of coffee
- For this purpose, an ice bath is just placing your bowl inside a slightly bigger bowl with ice and/ or cold water at the bottom. Make sure not to overfill so the water doesn't reach into the ice cream mixture and stir occasionally until cooled
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!